Quartzsite Mayor Ed Foster walked out of this morning's budget meeting, claiming it was an illegal meeting because town did not post the agenda 24 hours in advance. Quartzite and surrounding areas were without power the majority of the day yesterday. Evidently postings were made on bulletin boards but not on town website due to power outage.Meeting was officiated by Vice Mayor Barbara Cowell. Council voted to hold a meeting on the budget in a week and allow public to review the proposed budget. There was a strong Media present at the very short meeting. No arrests were made.

Town Council and City are under State of Emergency until September. If you have any other updates let me know.

Call to the Public has been suspended at all Quartzsite Council meetings until September. What will they do next???

I was going to give this speech today but now I will not be able to. The world needs to see this. Please feel free to pass this along to others.

Good evening, my name is Hal Davidson former Councilman of Quartzsite Arizona. I hope I am allowed to give this speech without being arrested. Everyone on this Council has swore an oath to preserve protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, by voting to declare a state of emergency or Martial Law, they have, (in my opinion) violated that oath and should step down from office. Of course they will not, because ” by their actions” they have shown that they do not believe in free speech of the rights of individuals. They should be ashamed of what they have done, but they are not.

Now that the Chief is in charge of everything how should we address him, Chief, Chairman Jeff, Supreme Chancellor Jeff, or just maybe Comrade Jeff? Only time will tell.

I would like to commend the 10 Police Officer that have put their careers on the line to expose the Chief for what he is. In closing I will say let the word go forth to friend and foe alike that Quartzsite is no longer a place for freedom loving people and that the Constitution no longer has any meaning. I will not rest until this great experiment implemented by the architects of this great nation is reinstated and the freedom of speech for individuals and accountability of elected officials is returned to the great city of Quartzsite.

Those that came to Quartzsite today to see the strange methodology utilized by the council were not disappointed. There were no surprises, though, the council conducted their 'illegal meeting' as thought it were legitimate.

"I wonder who it is they think they've fooled," Foster said.

Foster further charged in an interview on popular talk show INFOWARS.COM that he has been reading the e-mails sent to the council and other officials and that they were all legitimate efforts to communicate with the town and its representatives. "There were no threats," Foster stated.

The meeting today brought reporters from throughout the area and there was a strong police presence -- apparently due to the allegation that the town has been receiving threats. This, too, was the justification used to declare a 'State of Emergency' to remove Foster from his position of athority as Mayor.

OATHKEEPERS.ORG:FOSTER/JONESTO BE REPRESENTED

Concerned over the abuses perpetrated in Quartzsite, Yale educated attorney Stewart Rhodes is moving forward to defend those damaged...

FROM YAHOO AND FACEBOOK TO THE WASHINGTON POST --THE WORLD IS TALKING ABOUT QUARTZSITE

"Quartzsite has again found itself been catapaulted into the mainstream media. It's not as if it should have come as a surprise to people that sooner or later some level of accountability would have to happen," Foster stated Monday. "The problem is that the council didn't see it and refused to support demands to see the books or properly respond to any other problems or issues brought by citizens. They just continued to run the town as if they owned it -- unfortunately for our citizens -- and making a mockery of the law in the process. People elected me to effect change."

Foster's outspoken approach and sudden Internet presence will likely enable the town to recover from the problems plaguing it -- with the assistance of those in charge of the investigations. "The complaints are primarily that officials consistently treated the laws as though they were only for the citizens -- and not something they needed to even consider for themselves. Over time it just became worse to the point of ridiculousness," Foster stated.

"It is hard not to criticize the council when they were repeatedly warned to stop what they were doing -- Foster had a right to demand those books, had every right to be treated with the respect and priviledge due the position of a Mayor elected by his constituents," Jennifer Jones, the woman arrested -- and defended -- by the Mayor, stated. "They just wouldn't play by the rules and they hide, have secret meetings, pander to Alex [Alexandra] Taft. This council went so far into sheer stupidity." As the world looks on, the overall consensus seems to be that Jones she may have a very valid point.

Overwhelmingly in support of Mayor Foster, the 'noise' has reached an amazing crescendo as people who have watched the video have weighed in on the issue and have indicated the lengths to which the council went to quash free speech were outrageous. "That, and the level of misconduct -- on all levels -- attributable to the sitting council is so egregious as to cause people to call for their resignations," Foster said, "People seem to see Quartzsite as another Bell [California.] Maybe even worse."

QUARTZSITE TOUTED AS 'LAWSUIT CITY' in NATIONAL MEDIATHIS SITE MUST BE VIEWED IN INTERNET EXPLORERHUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of people are following what's happening in Quartzsite. 'Lawsuit City,' a phrase coined by national media analyst and reporter Alex Jones, [INFOWARS.COM] seemingly represents the opinion of those weighing in across the globe. The WASHINGTON POST STORY HERE.

The county Sheriff, Don Lowry, has reportedly advised that the Sheriff's Office will be 'standing down' and will not be answering calls for dealing with the rtake the situation in Quartzsite.

The big story today is whether or not the town is under martial law. As Ed Foster, the Mayor, reported in the MINESHAFT, there is no difference between a State of Emergency and Martial Law since law is suspended as are citizens' rights during such an incident. Jennifer Jones made an appearance on national media again today and has won the support of hundreds of those people studying in detail what has transpired in Quartzsite. Quartzsite is being reported in the media as a perfect example of what a corrupt town liks like.

'Nazi'-cop town council mysteriously vanishesMembers disappear from official website after flood of scathing emails

Members of the town council of Quartzsite, Ariz., have mysteriously vanished from their own government website in the wake of thousands of emails flooding in over reports of police intimidation and possible financial wrongdoing.

The emails have been pouring in since WND gave national exposure last week to the town after local resident Jennifer Jones, publisher of the Desert Freedom Press, was forcibly removed by police as she was speaking at a town-hall meeting June 28.

The emails in the wake of the YouTube sensation frightened Police Chief Jeff Gilbert and the council so much about their personal safety, they held a special, unpublicized session on Sunday, locking out the public and declaring a state of emergency.

As WND previously reported, a typical email was from Robert Bright, stating, "I hope to dear God Jennifer Jones sues your city for every penny she can get! Your type of thuggish governing is why our Founding Fathers of the American colonies decided to throw off the tyrannical rule of King George of England in 1776."

Mayor Ed Foster, who is at war with his own council and Chief Gilbert whom he has called corrupt and "a Nazi," believes potentially millions of dollars of taxpayer money is being illegally funneled to unnamed councilmembers.

On the town council's main page today, all the photographs and email addresses of the mayor, vice mayor and councilmembers have apparently been scrubbed.

An ongoing feud between two factions within the town of Quartzsite has the La Paz County's Sheriff speaking out, and refusing to take sides.

Over the past few weeks the town's mayor Ed Foster has been locked in a heated battle with the Town Council and Chief of Police, claiming he has been locked out of meetings at which the council declared a state of emergency.

Now La Paz County Sheriff Don Lowery has released a statement after several people asked him to step in and oversee the situation.

Sheriff Lowery says he doesn't have that right since Quartzsite is an incorporated town, and therefore its own political entity.

He adds "we are not supporting one side over the other. We have been asked by both sides to intervene in different aspects of the town council and we have declined."

Outraged citizens of Quartzsite, Ariz., turned out in force at yesterday's town-council meeting to urge their five councilmembers to immediately resign.

An overflow crowd showed up after WND reported on allegations of heavy-handed police tactics and possible financial wrongdoing that led to a state of emergency being declared by the council in a Sunday meeting the mayor termed illegal and would not take part in.

A large sign reading, "Go. Quit. Resign," could be seen at the entrance to town hall yesterday, as angry residents often tried to shout down members of the council.

Mayor Ed Foster, who is at war with his own council and Police Chief Jeff Gilbert whom he has called corrupt and "a Nazi," walked out of yesterday's meeting, claiming it, too, was an illegal gathering based on several technical points, including inadequate seating, a change in time of the event, and the fact the new time was set during Sunday's emergency session.

"If there was an illegal meeting Sunday, any business conducted in that business is therefore illegal, null and void," Foster said.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V94wnXew4x4&feature=player_embeddedIt seems we all see a common trend across america. The abuse of power at the expense of the common people. Quartzsite, AZ is just one of the many small towns struggling with tyranny. We at the Ron Paul Arizona R3VOLUTION find this unacceptable and decided to do everything we could to help.

This isn't simply small town tyrany, its a example of the national. The authority this gang held over their citizens is on a lower level of that the Gov holds over us, just food for thought.

Indeed, and it's also an opportunity to expose this microcosm of what's going on all around us - all around the world - to a wide audience. Sometimes it's easier to get a handle on it at the local level.

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"He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it." Martin Luther King, Jr.

On the town council's main page today, all the photographs and email addresses of the mayor, vice mayor and councilmembers have apparently been scrubbed.

That right there should tell people something is seriously wrong with those people! When politicians turn their back on the public and refuse to listen to the public, then the public no longer has a government that is working for the people.

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"For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." 1 Timothy 6:10 (KJB)

Full disclosure -- I am now the official legal counsel for both Jennifer Jones and for Ed Foster, the Mayor of Quartzsite, Arizona, regarding all of the many well documented abuses of their civil rights, and in particular, their First Amendment protected rights of free speech, assembly, as well as their rights to take part in the political process, by the Quartzsite Chief of Police and Town Council. This is in my individual capacity as a lawyer, not as the President of Oath Keepers. I want to make that clear. But I do see this as part of my responsibility to keep my oath, and in particular the oath I swore as a lawyer, to defend the Constitution. Sometimes the law can indeed be used as a sword of justice, so please wish me luck in helping them hold the town council and the Chief of Police accountable!

For the Republic,

Stewart Rhodes

Oath Keepers -- You may have heard about the situation in Quartzsite, Arizona. The town council and the Police Chief there are now in full spin mode in reaction to national media attention being focused on their well documented pattern of silencing political opponents by means of intimidation and false arrest, including at public meetings. Now they are claiming that there is an “emergency” which requires them to cancel normally scheduled and open public meetings, by claiming that they are in danger -- claiming they have received threats.

An easy way to cut through all the spin is to read the written report submitted by ten of the police officers in the Quartzsite Police Department, expressing their vote of no confidence in the Chief of Police, and requesting an independent investigation of misconduct by the Chief. Their letter lays out many violations of the law and of the rights of the people. This is from the men and women who work in that department, who feel compelled to step up and speak out, at risk of their jobs. These officers are a stellar example of what all police should be doing when unconstitutional behavior happens in their departments, and they are keeping their oaths. Our hats are off to them! The whole document is worth reading, but the following quotes are particularly valuable in understanding what is going on there:

From page 4 of the document:

We feel It Is our duty to inform the citizens of this community and the rest of the public, that we do not stand behind Chief Gilbert, or condone any of his criminal actions, nor will we jeopardize our own careers by following orders we know are unconstitutional, or by not reporting his criminal behavior. As it is apparent to us that a vote of No Confidence In Chief Gilbert is not enough to ask for his resignation with cause, we feel that notifying your constituents of the kind of man and Officer that is being allowed to run the Quartzsite Police Department is the only avenue left to convince you to start an honest investigation into a serious matter. [emphasis added]

Quote taken from page 7 of the document

Over the last two years the problems have continually got worse. Chief Jeff Gilbert is fixated on the politics in this town. He is personally involved in them and all his time and attention is directed towards political gain to benefit of himself. He is obviously biased towards certain council members and is against and outspoken to other candidates and council members. He runs license plates just to find out names of people whose vehicles are parked at businesses/residences of people he doesn’t like. Not for an investigation, but to gain personal Information about people for his political benefit. He runs criminal history reports through NClC to try to find “dirt” on candidates or citizens supporting the candidates he does not like. Our policy clearly states that we are not to get involved in politics and must remain unbiased at all times. He orders officers to pull over and arrest/cite violations of citizens he feels are against him or he doesn’t like. Not because they have committed a violation that he wants enforced equally, but because it is someone he doesn’t like. Clearly this is a misuse of his power. He will target officers and go after them if he feels they are going against him. Candidates, supporters of him or friends can be in the same violation, even have outstanding valid warrants and officers are told to leave them alone. He caused the firing of the town prosecuting attorney because Chief Jeff Gilbert felt the Town Attorney would not follow through on or file ridicules charges against people involved In a certain political group, he practices selective enforcement in the community against people who do not like him, agree with him, or may go against him. He also directs the officers to do the same. This selective enforcement by Chief Jeff Gilbert can influence decision and can initiate negative actions with highly negative results; this practice can also leave the Qualtzsite Police Department employees and the City of Quartzsite open to accusations and lawsuits and liability. This also gives Law Enforcement, as a whole, a bad Image.

Additionally, Chief Jeff Gilbert has made it clear that he does not have the time to be involved in the daily operations of this department. His attention is diverted to his involvement in politics. He is not involved with the department and is hardly ever present. He takes no interest to those he commands. It is perceived that Chief Jeff Gilbert is oblivious to the decisions, actions and day to day operations of the department, unless it involves politics or someone involved in politics. [emphasis added]

….

In closing, we would like to remind you that we are not troublemakers, malcontents or disgruntled employees. We are employees of the Quartzsite Police Department, who have given our hearts and souls to serve the citizens of Quartzsite. Our dedication to the citizens of Quartzsite and the other employees of the Quartzsite Police Department gives us the courage to write this very difficult letter. Our agenda is strictly based in the well-being of the Quartzsite Police Department, and Town of Quartzsite so we may provide the greatest level of service to the much deserving members of this community.

If you cannot see the below PDF Document: please click the following link to view and download the full PDF.

We salute these officers for their courageous stand. They serve as an excellent example of what needs to happen all across this nation, and they serve as an example of the truth that there are good police officers out there. We Oath Keepers already know that, since we have many great officers within this organization, but the stand by these ten fine Arizona peace officers now serves as a clear example for the whole nation to see.

For those who are not up to speed on this situation in Quartzsite, here is the video that sparked national attention. In this video, a local activist and alternative media journalist, Jennifer Jones, is arrested at a town council meeting during a Call to the Public (open public comment time) for no apparent reason other than the city council members not liking the content of her speech. The council members order the Police Chief to arrest Mrs. Jones over the objections of the Mayor, Ed Foster, who stated “the lady has the floor. She’s exercising her First Amendment rights …. You are in violation of my rules of order.” She was arrested anyway:

Jennifer Jones has, in fact, been arrested three times by the Chief of Police, in similar incidents. And the Mayor of the town, Ed Foster, has also been arrested twice by the Chief of Police, simply for speaking his mind and expressing his official opposition to the Chief’s actions. Quartzsite, Arizona is now ground zero in the fight for free speech, the right to peaceably assemble and petition government for a redress of grievances, and the fight against abuse of power and corruption in local government. Stay tuned! -- Oath Keepers

ADDITIONAL NOTE FROM STEWART:

Both Jennifer Jones and Mayor Foster (a Marine veteran) should be commended for their courage, as should the officers who are standing up against their own Chief of Police. What is most disturbing is that this is simply a particularly visible example of the kind of corruption that is absolutely pervasive across the country. I have seen it over, and over, all across America, whether it be GOP central committees (and the Dems are the same, but I don’t go to those), city councils, county commissioners, police chiefs, sheriffs, judges, legislators, you name it, it is the same, with few exceptions -- the rule of men, rather than the rule of law (the Constitution), and a sense of entitlement to rule that will use any and all dirty tricks against anyone who stands up to them. What I have seen down at the local level is every bit as corrupt and totalitarian minded as anything that comes out of the US Congress or the White House. Just petty little tin-hat versions.

It’s enough to make a person just throw up their hands and give up. But, the answer is that we need to take our city halls, our county buildings, our local courts, our police departments, and our Sheriff Department BACK and kick out the corrupt career political hacks. The same goes for your local political party. Take it back. That is where the real battle ground is, right there in your home town and country, rather than Congress.

There are a few notable exceptions to this pattern, such as Sheriff Mark Gower, and Sheriff Palmer of Grant County Oregon (as Sheriff Mack noted in his article on our main site) and we should not forget that. But we also need to see clearly how bad it really is. Nearly every single community suffers from willful, corrupt politicians who care not a whit for the rights of the people or for the Constitution, caring only for their own naked power. They are oath breakers who should be seen as a cancer on the body politic, and rooted out before they kill the host.

The exceptions show us what is possible. The rule shows us what must be corrected. The politicos have been left alone to run things so long they begin to have the delusion that they are above us, as a superior class of rulers. It’s time to wake them up with a bucket of cold reality and kick the bums out.

The people of Quartzsite are showing what needs to be done everywhere in the United States. Remember how the polticians freaked when us commoners called them on the carpet at town hall meetings across the country in 2009? Well, that hasn’t stopped. People are finally waking up to their responsibility to go to those meetings and actually participate, to keep an eye not just on their Congresscritters, but also on their local politicians. And the politicos don’t like it, hence reactions like we see in Quartzsite.

We need to kick out the career and patronage good ol boy networks that act like petty organized crime families and replace them with average folks who have not intent to stay in there for life. Run, serve a term or two, and get out! Let some other patriotic civic minded citizen take their turn, serve a term or two, and get out. Rinse and repeat.

We are heading for some seriously hard times, and the character, constitutional knowledge, and courage of those in local office will be pivotal in whether we slide into tyranny or see a renaissance of liberty rise up from the ashes of the coming hard times. We will see hard and dangerous times. It is coming. But how we handle it, and whether we come out the other end free, will depend on what we do right now, and that includes most especially who we put into positions of leadership at the town and county level.

Look what one good, principled, knowledgeable, brave Sheriff can do, such as Sheriff Palmer of Grant County Oregon, and imagine what we could do if we had more men like that, or MORE PEOPLE LIKE YOU, OR YOU YOURSELF, in office.

If we all sweep our own political “porch” clean, the whole nation will be swept clean, from the bottom up.

For the Republic,

Stewart Rhodes

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“The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it's an instrument for the people to restrain the government.” – Patrick Henry

Mayor Ed Foster of Quartzsite, Ariz., is at odds with most of the other officials in town. He calls the police chief “a corrupt thug.”

QUARTZSITE, Ariz. — Like many folks in this blink-and-miss-it town on the western edge of the state, Ed Foster moved here to escape the hustle and bustle. He is delighted that the main drag is just a couple of miles long, bookended by gas stations. It doesn’t take much more than a working sewer and water hookup to make him happy.

A couple of years ago, Mr. Foster, 69, a retired engineer for the Wrigley chewing gum company, began wondering what was happening to his tax money. So he ran for mayor, shaving off his long, scraggly beard when one supporter suggested it might not help his image as a politician.

But the clean-shaven Mayor Foster loves to raise a ruckus. For months, he has accused town officials of hiding money and called the police chief a “corrupt thug.” He has tried to persuade the attorney general’s office to step in, and is pressing for a criminal investigation of the chief.

In the past month, two of Mr. Foster’s allies have been arrested during Town Council meetings and led out in handcuffs. Saying that they fear for public safety, the Council members have declared an emergency, stopped public comment at their official meetings for the next month and brought in a police officer to keep guard at the Town Hall.

Mr. Foster calls this martial law.

“They are just insane. They think they can do whatever they want, take control and not have to do what people want,” the mayor said during an interview at the local Subway, tucked inside a truck stop at the edge of town. “They won’t talk to me, won’t look at me, nothing.”

Mr. Foster and his supporters have taken to the Internet to gather support, posting videos of the Council meeting and several clips showing officers escorting one woman from a meeting last month.

Suddenly this town, once known as a haven for RVs, gemstones and sprawling swap meets, is becoming a symbol for those who say government is filled with power-hungry bureaucrats, bent on spending too much public money.

But Mr. Foster’s detractors — the six other members of the Town Council, the town manager and the police chief — say that it is Mr. Foster, more interested in destroying the town than in focusing on the often mundane tasks of governing it, who has stepped over the line. He has filed several complaints and lawsuits against the town, which has a population of 3,600 in the summer. And he has been censured twice by his Council colleagues and arrested by the chief on disorderly conduct charges. He faces his own recall next month.

“He’s got these ideas that have nothing to do with the truth,” said Alex Taft, the town manager. “He says we are lying, stealing, harassing, anything you can think of. He’s just being Jerry Springer, but without the humor.”

Ms. Taft said that the mayor had enthusiastically “stirred up discontent” every chance he had gotten. But it was not until the meeting in June that she began to get really nervous.

More than two-thirds of the town’s 14 police officers showed up to complain about the chief, and Council members said they could not hear their statements because of a continuing investigation of a complaint filed with the state. One of the mayor’s supporters was arrested and several others in the crowd began shouting. “That was about as close to a riot as we will hopefully ever get,” Ms. Taft said.

Two weeks later, the Council was scheduled to discuss the municipal tax code.

Jennifer Jones, a local activist, supporter of the mayor and owner of a kennel she runs out of a trailer, rose to speak against a fee increase for merchants who rent space here in the winter, when the population can swell to the hundreds of thousands. Soon after she began her allotted four minutes, Ms. Jones turned her back to the Council and began speaking to the crowd. The Council voted to have her removed, and within moments officers were holding her by the wrists, escorting her out the back door.

Ms. Jones, who also publishes a newspaper and blog about the town, said her elbow began to burn after a few minutes. After she complained to another officer, Ms. Jones was released and took an ambulance to the nearest hospital, 35 miles away, where she said doctors told her she had probably sprained her elbow.

“We’re an example of everything that is wrong with small-town government,” Ms. Jones said, wearing a button reading “Clean up Quartzsite” and featuring a large broom and the Web address for the state’s Tea Party chapter. “People come here to live cheaply; they know how to live within their means and they want their government to do so, too.”

A vast majority of homes here are mobile homes, and the residents are not the sort to embrace bureaucracy. With open desert as far as the eye can see, it is about as close as they can get to the Wild West these days.

After the video of Ms. Jones’s arrest spread on the Internet, the Town Hall and Police Department began to receive threatening phone calls and e-mails. Ms. Taft had any pictures of the Council and staff members removed from the town’s Web site, which had been overloaded with traffic. On one site, people spoke of the state’s laws allowing guns to be carried without a permit.

“We know everyone in town; I don’t think they have the guts in them to do anything like that,” said Jerry Lukkason , a councilman who owns an RV park, Laundromat and diner in town. “But this is going all over the place now, and with other people, you never really know.”

About 5 pm PST, The Desert Freedom Press learned that under the current "emergency", Police Chief Jeff Gilbert has suspended ALL officers who filed criminal and ethical complaints against him. This leaves only the four officers who chose to stand with the Chief, despite the controversy and ongoing investigation by DPS. The same officers seen in the "Jennifer Jones arrest" video below. La Paz County Sheriff Don Lowery told the Parker Pioneer Newspaper last week that he had provided back up units to patrol the perimeter of Town Hall during the June 12th council meeting. Quartzsite Police Chief Jeff Gilbert and Sheriff Lowery served together as officers on the Colorado Indian Tribes Reservation. Several Sheriff's vehicles have been seen in the town over the last hour.

Reportedly, the officers are on "house arrest" from 8 am - noon, and 1 pm - 5 pm and have been instructed not to speak with media...(but their families can.)

This councilman said it all:“We know everyone in town; I don’t think they have the guts in them to do anything like that,” said Jerry Lukkason , a councilman who owns an RV park, Laundromat and diner in town. For a small town this guy seems to have a big part of it, its all about money and controll, the same ol song. Is this guy challenging the people with this remark..I don’t think they have the guts $$$$, controll, and this bag of shiite has one big FK ego..Boss Hog.

I think the Mayor is the "good guy" in this situation. I recall an interview he did with AJ wherein he said he was elected specifically to clean up the theft. The City Council and their hired thugs the Police shut him down.

I think the Mayor is the "good guy" in this situation. I recall an interview he did with AJ wherein he said he was elected specifically to clean up the theft. The City Council and their hired thugs the Police shut him down.

That's the point I'm making because when you ask to speak to the mayor, you'll find he's not there, then you'll want an explanation why he's not there, thus they have to explain their actions that led to the mayor not being there. I heard most of that interview with AJ, and agree the mayor is a victim in this.

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"For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." 1 Timothy 6:10 (KJB)

Residents of the Arizona town that's now a YouTube sensation after police forcibly removed a woman speaking at a recent public meeting are now experiencing firearms confiscation by the government.

The stunning action is taking place in Quartzsite, Ariz., where Town Councilman Joe Winslow has prompted the seizure of guns from local gem dealer and online entrepreneur Michael Roth because Roth allegedly glared at the councilman, blocked his entrance to Town Hall and called him a "turd."

Karen Slaughter, the elected justice of the peace for the region, issued a harassment injunction against Roth on behalf of Winslow, the lawmaker who called for the silencing of pet groomer and publisher Jennifer Jones in the infamous video.

That original video of the June 28 town-hall fiasco posted on YouTube has been viewed more than 120,000 times.

As a resident of Arizona, I can say it's embarrassing to see state officials acting like this. It's as though they have completely tossed the Constitution right out the window.

Calling somebody a "turd" is hardly a threat of physical violence! It may be a statement of fact, but it's not even close to justify confiscation of a weapon in Arizona where we have open carry without a license.

Clearly there is severe biased unconstitutional politics going on there, and apparently it reaches all the way to the judiciary.

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"For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." 1 Timothy 6:10 (KJB)

As a resident of Arizona, I can say it's embarrassing to see state officials acting like this. It's as though they have completely tossed the Constitution right out the window.

Calling somebody a "turd" is hardly a threat of physical violence! It may be a statement of fact, but it's not even close to justify confiscation of a weapon in Arizona where we have open carry without a license.

Clearly there is severe biased unconstitutional politics going on there, and apparently it reaches all the way to the judiciary.

You are from AZ. Where is the sheriff in all of this? AJ has mentioned that the state police--probably state high patrol.

The sheriff is the king of the county, even outranking the President.

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I'M A DEPLORABLE KNUCKLEHEAD THAT SUPPORTS PRESIDENT TRUMP. MAY GOD BLESS HIM AND KEEP HIM SAFE.

There is another side to this, the power for the sherrifs office can basically tell the Feds to back off their county line. This is to date as far as I know a county and state issue, not federal. If this debauchery continues it will draw attention nationaly. IF the feds step in will this set a a different standard, will they invoke an amendment. Just a thought, I'm probably off base.

You are from AZ. Where is the sheriff in all of this? AJ has mentioned that the state police--probably state high patrol.

The sheriff is the king of the county, even outranking the President.

The sheriff? He's the thug that started all this! He's the one that had his goons arrest the lady at the council meeting, and he's the one that locked the mayor out of the illegal meeting the council held. The sheriff is the dictator in question!

The state AG can get other departments to investigate. No need for feds. A county sheriff doesn't outranked the state governor.

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"For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." 1 Timothy 6:10 (KJB)

Actually, you need to go back and listen closely to what he said. (he's a former sheriff himself by the way and a Tea Party darling!).

What he said was...

"...no, the governor and the sheriff are pretty much equal".

"...the governor is the sovereign leader over the state".

"...the sheriff would probably supercede the governor within his county"

"...in charge of protecting constitutional freedoms in his jurisdiction".

Hmm, now that we look at what he actually said, we can see he's not so sure legally, as evidenced by his use of "probably" and "pretty much equal". Those aren't legal terms! Those are guesses.

Yes, the sheriff is the top law within his jurisdiction, but the governor still is the sheriff's boss. ALL state workers ultimately answer to the governor. Consider that a county would not exist except for the state, and the federal would not exist except for the states. Counties are a sub-section of a state, and not independent like the Quartzsite thugs think.

I think what you're confusing is the seperation of federal and state. The federal government has limits over the state and it's subsections like a county. Ultimately, it is up to the governor to manage the state, and if the feds are meddling within a county, it's still up to the governor AND the county officials to deal with it.

Just think...if a sheriff had absolute power as your suggesting, that would mean a sheriff could instigate an insurrection, and the governor could do nothing about it, which is not true.

And as I said, if a county is acting up, it is on the state's Attorney General to get involved by order of the governor, and so it is, as the state AG is in fact investigating according to news reports last night.

I stand by what I said...a sheriff DOES NOT outrank a governor, no matter how much a sheriff thinks he does!

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"For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." 1 Timothy 6:10 (KJB)

Actually, you need to go back and listen closely to what he said. (he's a former sheriff himself by the way and a Tea Party darling!).

What he said was...

"...no, the governor and the sheriff are pretty much equal".

"...the governor is the sovereign leader over the state".

"...the sheriff would probably supercede the governor within his county"

"...in charge of protecting constitutional freedoms in his jurisdiction".

Hmm, now that we look at what he actually said, we can see he's not so sure legally, as evidenced by his use of "probably" and "pretty much equal". Those aren't legal terms! Those are guesses.

Yes, the sheriff is the top law within his jurisdiction, but the governor still is the sheriff's boss. ALL state workers ultimately answer to the governor. Consider that a county would not exist except for the state, and the federal would not exist except for the states. Counties are a sub-section of a state, and not independent like the Quartzsite thugs think.

I think what you're confusing is the seperation of federal and state. The federal government has limits over the state and it's subsections like a county. Ultimately, it is up to the governor to manage the state, and if the feds are meddling within a county, it's still up to the governor AND the county officials to deal with it.

Just think...if a sheriff had absolute power as your suggesting, that would mean a sheriff could instigate an insurrection, and the governor could do nothing about it, which is not true.

And as I said, if a county is acting up, it is on the state's Attorney General to get involved by order of the governor, and so it is, as the state AG is in fact investigating according to news reports last night.

I stand by what I said...a sheriff DOES NOT outrank a governor, no matter how much a sheriff thinks he does!

Disagree. I stand by what Sheriff Mack has said many times on the AJ Show.

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I'M A DEPLORABLE KNUCKLEHEAD THAT SUPPORTS PRESIDENT TRUMP. MAY GOD BLESS HIM AND KEEP HIM SAFE.

What? You take "probably" and "pretty much" as a legal term? Seriously? I just don't get it. How can you say such things? Show me the law where it says a state governor must answer to a county sheriff!

I'm not disputing what the guy is saying. I'm disputing your interpretation of what he's saying. You're the one who is misinterpreting what he said. His argument is against the feds intruding on state matters, to which I agree, the feds need to back off. It's a state matter, UNTIL the governor can no longer handle the situation. At that point the feds have a constitutional duty to step in when a governor is no longer in control, or is unwilling to control their state. It's all spelled out in the constitutional provisions for martial law.

So you disagree with this statement?...(show me the law where it says I'm wrong and I'll stand corrected)

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but the governor still is the sheriff's boss. ALL state workers ultimately answer to the governor. Consider that a county would not exist except for the state, and the federal would not exist except for the states. Counties are a sub-section of a state, and not independent

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"For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." 1 Timothy 6:10 (KJB)

This is my last post on this subject. You can beat your head against the wall if you want. We have our sheriff straight on this. I have personally given him Mack's books. He said that he would give them to some of his deputies because he already had a set. He knows that if the governor, president, or anybody else tries to pull any shenanigans, HE IS IN CHARGE. That's all that matters.

What does all this mean today in the Battle for America? Sheriff Mack says it proves that the sheriff is the highest governmental authority in his county. Within that jurisdiction – inside his county – the sheriff has more power than the governor of his state. Indeed, the sheriff has more power in his county than the President of the United States. In his county, he can overrule the President and kick his people out. Remember, the President has few and limited powers.

What? The sheriff can do that? He’s not just a character in a movie? That’s right. Not only can the sheriff do that; sheriffs have already done that, more than once. Most Americans are not aware of that because lying, conspiracy scumbags like Rush Humbug, Shallow Sean Hannitwerp and Hugh Blewitt (a lawyer) etc., haven’t told them.

Remember, the office of sheriff has a pedigree so long, we are not positive about when it was created. We think it was in the Ninth Century in England. We do know that each land district, or “shire,” was governed by a “reeve.” The sheriff of Nottingham became famous. At first, the king appointed them. With few exceptions, our American shire reeves are elected by the people.

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I'M A DEPLORABLE KNUCKLEHEAD THAT SUPPORTS PRESIDENT TRUMP. MAY GOD BLESS HIM AND KEEP HIM SAFE.

You were selective in what you posted! What does that article say before what you posted?...

Looks to me like just what I said!...(and it ain't my words, it's the words of Supreme Court justices!)

Mack's arguments are about state vs. federal...

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...Scalia quotes President James Madison, “father” of the Constitution: “[T]he local or municipal authorities form distinct and independent portions of the supremacy, no more subject, within their respective spheres, to the general authority than the general authority is subject to them, within its own sphere.” The Federalist, No. 39 at 245.

Again and again, Justice Scalia pounds the point home (page 921): “This separation of the two spheres is one of the Constitution’s structural protections of liberty: ‘Just as the separation and independence of the coordinate branches of the Federal Government serve to prevent the accumulation of excessive power in any one branch, a healthy balance of power between the States and the Federal Government will reduce the risk of tyranny and abuse from either front.’. . .” Gregory, 501 U.S. at 458.

He quotes President Madison again: “In the compound republic of America, the power surrendered by the people is first divided between two distinct governments, and then the portion allotted to each subdivided among distinct and separate departments. Hence a double security arises to the rights of the people. The different governments will control each other, at the same time that each will be controlled by itself.” (P. 922)

No one could make this any clearer. The primary purpose of the Fathers was to prevent someone from grabbing all the power. When that happens, they knew, the result is arbitrary, confiscatory, government, the kind Tom Jefferson described in the Declaration of Independence. We would call it totalitarian.

Madison explains: “The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.” Federalist No. 48, February 1, 1788.

To prevent that from happening, they divided the power. First, they divided the federal power into three parts: the executive, the legislative and the judicial. They would bicker among themselves, so that no one of them could seize all the power the Constitution grants to the federal government.

The Founders divided the power even more. They set the limited power the Constitution grants the “general authority,” Madison’s term for the federal government, against the vast residual powers of the states. Each sphere of government, state and federal, would be supreme in its own sphere. Neither could control the other. Each protects itself from intervention by the other. Each has its own laws and rules.

Madison says this: “Besides the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation, the existence of subordinate governments, to which the people are attached and by which the militia officers are appointed, forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition, more insurmountable than any which a simple government of any form can admit of.” Loc. Cit.(cont.)

So, that begs the question, that if what you think is true, then where is the checks and balances to keep the sheriff in check? Where do the people turn if the local law enforcement is out of control? It's called the governor, and the governor has every right to call out the militia if things get out of control and the local authorities can't handle the situation. The Constitution says that a state militia is under the direct control of the state governor, not the sheriff (and surely not the National Guard!). I see no provisions in the Constitution for a county militia.

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He knows that if the governor, president, or anybody else tries to pull any shenanigans, HE IS IN CHARGE. That's all that matters.

Sure, but your ignoring the other scenario, which is what they have in Quartzsite, a situation where the sheriff himself is the one out of control pulling shenanigans. If the sheriff is abiding by the law, then of course he has a duty to enforce the law in his juridiction. But a sheriff of one county has NO authority in another county, but a governor does! HUGE difference.If a sheriff is acting up, there is no question the governor can step in through the state AG.

This bears repeating...(this proves that a sheriff does not have supreme power)

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Madison explains: “The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.” Federalist No. 48, February 1, 1788.

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"For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." 1 Timothy 6:10 (KJB)

If I may add my two cents, if the sheriff, has this power, do you think he would be the only sheriff to use it? The power would be like a cancer and spread county to county, that is not happenning YET unless this tyrant gets away with it. Just my opinion.

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Rev21:4And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.